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(No Model.) 3 Sheets- Sheet 1.

H. P. BROWN.

TROLLEY SYSTEM FOR'BLBGTRIU RAILWAYS. No. 428,072.v Pajktelted May 20, 1890.

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H. P. BROWN.

TROLLEY SYSTEM POR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS. No. 428,072. Patented May 20, 1890.

H. P. BROWN.

TROLLEY SYSTEM EOE ELECTRIC EAILWAYS. No. 428,072. PatentedMay 2 0, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEFIcE.

HAROLD P. BROWN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

TROLLEY SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,072, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed March l0, 1890.

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAROLD P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trolley Systems for Elec' tric Railways, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to improvements in electric street-railway apparatus, and to that class wherein overhead wires are employed.

It relates more particularly to improvements in the mechanism or means for crossing the electric wires or lines and switching the trolley from one line to another atthe street-crossings or street-intersections.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of a simple, efficient, and durable construction which will operate automatically, and whereby the trolley may pass along or follow its line continuously at the crossings without interruption or obstruction from the cross-wire, and whereby also the trolley may be positively deiiected at the switch tothe path desired.

A further object of my invention is to provide a means whereby the upward pressure of the trolley on the line-.wire may be prevented from forcing such line-wire into too close proximity with the cross-wire at the crossing, and thus cause the current to flow from the positive to the negative wire.

My improvementconsists, essentially, in providing one of the electric wires at the crossing with a rigid bent support furnished with an opening and closing latch or arm, so that the trolley will close the latch or arm as it advances, and thus bridge or span the space between the limbs of the bent support and afford a continuous smooth way or line for the trolley to follow, said bridge having attached thereto an insulator to support said cross-wire in position in the hollow or bend of the bent support or bridge. The bent support or bridge may be furnished with one or more movable latches or swinging arms, according as it is to be used on a double or single track. In a double-line track, where the cars approach the bent support or bridge on any one track-always from the same direction, `a single latch or swinging arm will suffice. Vhere the cars approach from both direc- Serial No. 343,233. (No model.)

tions, as in a single-line track, each limb of the bridge or bent support will need be furnished with a latch. As the rigid bent support and its latch or swinging arm sustain both the line-wire and the trolley in a IiXed position relativelyto the cross-wire supported in the bend or hollow of the bridge, the upward pressure of the trolley on the line-wire will have no tendency to force the line-wire and the cross-wire near together.

The trolley or its shaft is furnished with a pair of movable arms, preferably about at right angles to each other, one of which is always adapted to engage the side of the switchplate which is parallel with the branch or line it is desired to cause the trolleyto follow. By this means the trolley is automatically and positively directed along` the particular line or branch desired, and accidents and stoppages, due to the street-car taking one track and the trolley following another brauch or track, are by this simple means entirely avoided. The trolley or its shaft is furnished with a latch or arm having a rod or other suitable connection by which the driver or operator may turn either one of the rightangle arms into the vertical position, according, to the particular branch or line which he desires the trolley to follow.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate like parts, Figure l is a plan view of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa plan view of the bridge or bent support at the crossing of the wires. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation looking from the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a bottom view. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the switch. Fig. 6 is an end view of the switch. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the switch, showing the trolley-wire following the line and approaching the switch. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the trolley and its rightangled guide-arms. Fig. 9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 5. Fig. lO is a plan view, and Fig. l1 a side elevation, showing the bridge orbent line-support furnished with two latches or swinging arms for use upon a single instead of a double line. Fig. l2 shows a modiied form, which may be used either for a single or double line. v

In the drawings,A A A2 A3 representthe I Or) positive and negative wires ot' an overhead or trolley electric railway system, the wires crossing cach other at the st reet-intersect ion. The wires A A Al A are supivmrtml tn'erhead inthe usual way by posts (i, located at thc sides of the streets and furnished with connecting and brace wires o o?, t'rom which the electric wires A A A3 Ail also are suspended by insulated supports al. Any suitable or well-known means ot supporting the wires may be employed.

ll is the rigid bent support or bridge tor one ot the line-wires at its crossing with another line-wire Ail. 'lhe rigid bridge or bent snpport ll is furnished with lips or ledges l) il to receive and hold the electric wire A, and thus canse the wire to assume a bent path conforming to the bridge ll. The bridge il is further provided with one or more movable or pivoted arms ll', adapted to span the hollow of the bridge ll, and when closed l'orin a continuation ol.l the line A tor the trolley l) to follow. The swinging arms orlatches i3 are preferably pivoted at their ends to the ends of the bridge ll. 'lhe negative cross-wire Af is supported in the hollow or bend il ci' the bridge l by an insulated support if", attached to the bridge ll. The latches or swinging arms B will normally hang down by their own gravity, as shown in Fig. il. li'hen the trolley approaches, however, along the line A in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, it will strike against; the pivoted arm B and close it over the hollow or bend ot' the bridge ll, and thus atlord a continuous way or guide for the trolley. At thc same time` the rigid bridge .ll and its closed arm il will prevent the trolley from coming in close pros;- ixnity to the cross-wire A or otherwise intcr fering with the proper insulatitni and scpara tion of the wires A A at the crossing.

In the modification shown in Fig. l2 two arms or latches il li are shown connected together by a pivoted link llE to cause the two to close and meet together; but thcpreferred construction is that before descrilmd, and shown in Figs. 2, 2l, l, itl, and il.

At a street-intersection, where thc crosswires AA1 A5 are desired to switch into or connect with the wires A A without crossing the wires A A, a switch-plate or trog (l is pro' vided. The trolley l), which is carried by the trolley arm or support D on the car, is t'urnished with two guide-arms d d', preferably arranged about at right angles to cach other, although their relative position maybe varied somewhat without departing from the prineiple of my invention. (lne ol' these arms is mounted on one side ot the trolley and the other on the other side.

As the trolley apprm'iehes the switchqilate or frog C, the arm 7, it that is the one which is then projecting' upward or .f'crtical, will enn gage thc side tace c ot the switclnplate or frog (l, and thus cause the trolley to cenit-imm directly along the line A. lt, however, the operator pulls the other guide-ar1n d into the upright position, it will engage the inclined tace (l ot' the switclrplate (l, and thus cause the trolley to switch onto the branch A". Thel arm or one ot' the guide-arms should or may be normally left in its uprightor operating position, being held there by a spring (Z2. When the operator desires to switch ott onto the line Al, hc turns the guide-arm d down and the arm d upright by pulling on the rod or line d, which is connected to a projection d on the arm d or on the shaft of the trolley. ily this means the driver or operator may very easily and without stopping the car switch the trolley along any path desired with perfect sat'cty and certainty.

F represents a eross-bar or support at the strcct-interscction whcre a switch or curve is located. This cross -bar or support rests upon the pos 's of. The purpose of this support or crosfbar is to take or sustain thetensile strain ot the wires A1 A5, and also of thc wires A A in case they should not extend beyond the support F, and thus relieve the rigid curved-bar connection ll ll ol the wires A Al A A7 from the tensile strain. Another purpose ot the bar F is to support the rigid curvedbar connections ll ll, the bar F being provided with an arm f for this purpose. '.lhe curved-bar connections ll ll aresupported at their ends from the cross support-wires c. ily this means I avoid the necessity of e111- ploying a niultitiude of tie-wires such as have commonly been heretofore used to take the tensile strain ot the wires A A and A'1 A*rl at a swvitch or curve, and which obstruct the light and interfere with the operations of firemen. l also by this means obviate the tendency of the curved portion of the line to crawl or get out ot position by reason of contraction or expansitm, and which in the constructionsheretolore in use has been a serions difti.culty.

l claiml. ln an electric strcct-i'ailway, the combination, with crossing electric wires, of a rigid bont support or bridge extending in the direction ot one ot the wires and having a hollow orbend to receive the crosswvire and provided with a movable arm or latch adapted to span the hollowof the bridge andai'ford acontinw ons way l'or the trolley, said bent support or bridge being further provided with an insulator to sustain the crossavire in position in the hollow olf said bridge, substantially as speeitied.

2. rlhe combination, with the frog or switchplate (l, ot' the trolley Afurnished with guidearms adapted to engage said frog or switchplate and thus guide the trolley in the direction desired, substantially as specified.

il. The combination, with the frog or switchplate tot, ot' the trolley furnished with guide arms adapted to engage said frog or switchplate and thus guide the trolley in thc direction desired, a spring for holding one ot the guidoarms in position, and a rod or connection tor moving the otherguide-arln into position, substantially as specilied.

IIO

IIS

4. The combinatiomwith the wiresAzmdAi, cross-bar F, for receiving the strain-0f said with the curved rigid connecting-bar H bewires AA4 and supporting said curved bar H; tween them, of means for supporting said bar substantially as specified.

and relieving said bar from the tension or HAROLD P. BROWN. 5 strain of said Wires, substantially as specified. Witnesses:

5. The combination of the Wires A A4, H. VQMUNDAY,

curved rigid connecting-bar H, post a, and EMMA HACK. 

